ROBERT POWNALL
Film | Television | AV Content | Photography
ROBERT POWNALL
Film | Television | AV Content | Photography
ROBERT
POWNALL
Film | Television | AV Content | Photography
— ABOUT ME —
My name is Robert and I am an undergraduate studying for a BA degree Film & Broadcast Production at Edge Hill University.
Being a mature student has given me invaluable time and experience to develop a deeper understanding of myself before pursuing a career. Central to that process has been discovering my passion for storytelling; the beating heart of film and television, Furthermore, it has also meant that I have developed a clearer appreciation of what I bring to the table.
I have a unique perspective and a natural ability to think creatively and originally. I am not only technically adept, but genuinely enjoy developing my skills, with curiosity driving me as much as ambition; this much has been shown by how I have taught myself a wide range of skills in music production, image and video editing starting in my early teenage years. I then also have a visionary mindset, which is something I have come to realise is rarer than I first appreciated. And I am also resilient, as demonstrated recently, for example, through a collaborative short film project at university, where my contribution under pressure proved critical to our success.
Having now the end of my first year of study, I have gained both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, having worked with industry-standard equipment and facilities and in collaboration with fellow creatives. I am excited for what lies ahead.
Alongside my film and broadcast studies, I have taken the opportunity to study photography further at university and have invested in developing my practical skills with the aim of taking on freelance and part-time photography work in the near future.
Work that I have undertaken recently includes working as a support volunteer for Samaritans. The nature of the work I provided involved iteratively designing graphical content, listening and responding to feedback whilst consistently delivering high quality work under tight time constraints. Furthermore, I also provided our branch with IT-based support.
My long-term ambition is to work as a Director of Photography, whilst in the shorter term, I am seeking a range of on-set roles to broaden my perspective and experience. I am currently seeking voluntary, part-time, freelance and placement opportunities fitting around my studies until June 2028, based in the UK. Looking beyond graduation, I intend to seek opportunities in New Zealand whilst still remaining open to ones in the UK.
If you have any enquiries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the contact page, by email, or through LinkedIn.
— PROFESSIONAL CALENDAR —
Having attended a filmmaking networking event, based in Manchester, on 6th April 2026, I plan to continue attending networking events as a student and beyond.
The event I attended, which I discovered through the internet, was a great opportunity to chat with people from a range of backgrounds related to the industry. Not only did I make connections with these new people, but I learnt a lot from them sharing their professional experiences.
As a student, I aim to continue my extracurricular activities in the AV Club at the University. The opportunities I have already taken in attending the club to learn extra knowledge and gain experience of working in a team in an industry-standard setting on productions in a range of roles have been invaluable. Having gained my first credit on IMDb through working in this club through my work on the web series "Sit Down With Saints," picking up more credits in the future will really help to strengthen my profile and my job applications upon graduating.
Looking ahead, alongside attending more networking events, I am actively seeking work experience opportunities whilst I am a student in a range of roles. Having such experience will not only be highly beneficial for my own learning, but also for my employment prospects after graduating.
— CAREER MAP —
In developing a plan for my career, my guiding principle has been to build and maintain a diverse skillset. However, my skillset must not only be broad enough to make me versatile and adaptable, but it must also be sufficiently focused to allow genuine mastery of my craft.
My career map (below) outlines the career progression I aim to follow, details about each stage, and the duration I expect for each stage.
Alongside my professional career, I intend to pursue passion projects both independently and in small collaborations with fellow filmmakers. These projects may range from dramatic short films to documentaries and would not only serve to develop my camera work further, but to nurture my broader filmmaking skills and instincts too.
Additionally, as a keen photographer, I plan to begin working as a freelance photographer in the near future. This would be another avenue of employment through which I can express my visual creativity whilst expanding my professional portfolio.
— MY CV —
To further develop myself a diverse skillset whilst studying as an undergraduate, I am currently seeking opportunities in a range of areas within Film and Television production industry.
Credits
Sit Down With Saints (2022-)
Camera Operator | Katie Ashford / Edge Hill University | Episode: “Matty Lees"
Work
Support Volunteer | Samaritans (March 2024 – September 2025)
-
Understanding the needs and difficulties of the clients, I designed graphical charts to convey their data to them graphically in a way that of made the data more digestible and easily understandable.
-
Often had a short turnaround time – upon receiving data periodically, I used Photoshop to produce and deliver charts for the received data on time and to a high standard.
-
Responding to feedback, I successfully made iterative design changes and additions to the charts I delivered.
-
The charts I designed and made were much-appreciated by the clients as being able to understand the data clearly allowed for it to be responded to accordingly.
-
Additionally, I provided other IT-based assistance for our branch.
Food Bank Warehouse Volunteer | The Trussell Trust (March 2019 – September 2019)
-
Diligently checked, accurately weighed and carefully recorded incoming stock, I took great care when preparing and packing outgoing food parcels.
-
Maintained the high level of cleanliness and tidiness of the warehouse that was vital to prevent food from being compromised.
-
Promptly reported any health and safety issues that arose to our project manager.
-
Often greeted individuals who brought donations to the warehouse, I politely thanked them for their donations.
-
Working effectively as part of a team to play our part in the community was an enjoyable experience.
Education
2025 – Ongoing: Edge Hill University
Film & Broadcast Production BA
2019 – 2021: Nottingham Trent University
Certificate of Higher Education in Product Design
2016 – 2018: Abbey Gate College, Chester
3 A Levels: ICT, Design & Technology: Product Design (3-D Design), Physics
2007 – 2016: The King’s School, Chester
10 GCSEs/IGCSEs including English Language (A*), English Literature (A*), and Maths (A)
Extra-Curricular & Self-Directed Activities
Average Jack’s Podcast (2025 – 2026)
Taking advantage of the extra-curricular activities on offer whilst studying at Edge Hill University to gain further industry-related experience, I have joined as a member of the AV Club. Through this club, I have taken multiple opportunities to work on Average Jack’s Podcast, which is a lifestyle podcast filmed a 3-4 camera setup in the University’s studio space. Through this work, I have gained experience across a wide range of roles, including Director, Vision Mixer, Floor Manager, Camera Operator, and Sound Booth Operator.
Music/Audio Production in FL Studio (2014 – Ongoing)
With a keen interest in learning how to produce music when I was 14 years old, I began to teach myself how to use the software and have continued to further hone my skills. Subsequently, I have attained a wide range of transferrable skills and knowledge pertaining to digital audio/music production and editing.
Skills
Camera Operation (for both Film & Broadcast)
Video Editing
Photography
Photo Editing
Sound Editing / Audio Production
Sound Operation
Leadership
Teamworking
Communication
